The only lack of connections here are in your synapses

: Interesting an attempt to make a connection where there is none. Were I to own a family owned restraunt I would not want deragatory comments made concerning it because that is bad business.

`It is obviously imperative that no derogatory comments about McDonald's are made by any broadcaster on the station. Any such comment would see an immediate cancellation of the contract. I know that I will have your complete support on this matter,'

Are you totally unfamiliar with the idea of the impartial fourth estate; freedom of speech and all that?

It's pretty transparently "Say bad things about McD's and you're fired"; a clear breach of the aforementioned Commercial Radio Code of Practice (CRCP).

I would say that it is transparently obvious that McDonald's were attempting to stop any of the DJs making any criticism of McD's public; and had stopped sponsoring the previous channel because of it.

It adds up to attempting to buy silence. It's also interesting to note that the first reaction to this was not to lambast McDonald's for their attempts at censorship, but to call the police in an effort to find the one person who cared more about freedom of speech than they did about money...